Franz's fears were unfounded, and the tsarist government had already begun to do it without waiting for the Vienna government to remind him.

It's just that the means are a little immature, probably because they were not prepared in advance, and the evidence presented by the Russians is not convincing enough.

There are no movies yet, makeup has not become one of the four evil arts, and the special effects do not even have shadows, and it is still a little difficult to fake photos.

No, to be precise, the tsarist government had no concept of falsification at all.

The Berlin government has launched a public opinion offensive, and the Prussian troops on the front line have long been ordered to abide by military discipline, and it is naturally not easy to grasp the Prussian army at this time.

Photographic evidence provided by the Tsarist government, much of which was kindly sponsored by the Austrian government.

These were all inadvertently filmed when the Austrian military was collecting information on the battlefield, and there were very few actual shots on the ground, most of which were filmed on airships.

Clarity naturally can't be expected, and it's good to be able to see a figure vaguely. On the one hand, it flies too high, and on the other hand, the camera is not advanced enough.

If it weren't for the newspaper's intent on stirring up controversy for the sake of sales, it would have been suppressed because of the little evidence provided by the tsarist government, which would not have been able to hit even a single wave.

In any case, it is better to have a contest than not to have a dispute. According to convention, this kind of public opinion is usually a drag and a digression.

In the words of the mentor: "The Russian army is a bandit, and the Prussian army is a bandit." "Anyway, it's not a good thing.

This winter, the performances of Prussia and Russia have made the European people watch a big show.

As the temperature dropped, the Russo-Prussian war gradually eased. After the onset of winter, the non-combat attrition of the Prussian army increased day by day, and in order to reduce the losses, Moltke had to stop the offensive.

It is true that hairy bears are more resistant to frost, but they also need to accumulate and use strategic materials this winter. Unless victory is guaranteed this winter, the Russian army will have to stop.

There is no way to do this, the snow melts after the beginning of spring, the roads are muddy, and the transportation of materials is very difficult.

Having suffered a loss of supplies, the bureaucracy of the tsarist government has evolved. It's good to crush the enemy with dignity, so why take the risk?

Of course, there will still be a "winter offensive". The Russian army continues to smash Smolinsk, a fortress city right on the banks of the Dnieper River, which is easily accessible by water.

Forget about other areas, they are already on the defensive, isn't it good to use the winter to strengthen the fortifications, why run out to fight the enemy in the field?

……

The Prussian-Russian battlefield stabilized, and the South American war underwent earth-shaking changes. The Peruvian Bolivian Union, which had the upper hand, gradually fell into disadvantage after the British attacked.

Two months ago, 7,000 Chilean soldiers, escorted by six warships, landed near the fortress of Iquique and successfully routed the Peruvian Bolivian coalition forces, reversing the balance of power.

Looking at the information collected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Franz didn't know how to complain. The mud can't hold up the wall, and it's Bolivia.

Who would have thought that the Bolivian army would still use bows and crossbows?

If there is no way, only these weapons will be forgotten. The problem was that Bolivia had the support of Austria, which bought a large amount of second-hand equipment before the outbreak of the war.

Franz admits that the time was a little short, and that the Bolivian army was filled with a large number of Indians, and it was indeed difficult to change clothes without training.

But no matter how difficult it is, you have to go on it! The foundation is too poor to be trained and you can't do it, so it's always okay to teach them to shoot.

From the preparation for the war to the fall of Iquique, there was also a small half a year before and after. The army is not a navy, and if you hold your feet temporarily, you can still train a force worthy of a war in a few months.

Franz no longer cares about the Bolivian internal problems involved behind this. Now he is just glad that he let go in time and did not continue to support this "Adou".

Not only the Bolivian army is rubbish, but also the Chilean army, which is the victor. Dealing with such a rabble, it has been busy for so long.

A worse war is completely unsightly, and it is impossible to even learn lessons and lessons. Franz was very skeptical that if the Duchy of Montenegro was put in South America, it would become a hegemon.

Originally, he was worried that after the rise of Chile, Austrian South America would be in danger, but now Franz is relieved. If there is a real fight, it is estimated that the Chilean army will not be able to defeat the local militia.

The South American War is no longer called the "Pacific War", compared with the tragic Russo-Prussian War, the wars between Chile and Bolivia and Peru, it is completely a child's game.

The European media have replaced the original "Pacific War" with the "guano war" or "saltpeter war", and the ridicule is completely undisguised.

Now, Franz somewhat understands why Europeans are so arrogant. It's really not that they're arrogant, it's not their short-term vision, it's all set off by their opponents.

In the 19th century, the center of the world was in Europe, when the world's major powers were clustered on the continent, and there was not a single challenger to be found in the world.

If there had been no world war in the original plane, this advantage would have continued for many years. There are no ifs in history, and world wars are both coincidental and inevitable.

Even on the European continent today, Franz could not guarantee that a major war would never break out. To put it bluntly, war is a continuation of politics, and politics is driven by interests.

……

Foreign Secretary Wesenberg: "Your Majesty, this morning the Minister of Chile has extended an invitation to us to intervene in the war in the Pacific, and England and France have likewise been invited. ”

It is not surprising that since the declaration of the alliance between Britain, France and Austria, conflicts around the world have been mediated by the three countries.

Even if no one invites them, the three countries will come to the door to serve themselves, and the real purpose is naturally ......

Looking at the map of South America, Franz said after half a sound: "This Chilean government is not bad, and I know that I will accept it when it is good, but will Peru and Polyvia agree to it?" ”

Chileans have taken over areas such as Antofagasta, Tarapacá, Arica, Tacna and happen to be the main producers of saltpeter and guano.

The benefits that we want have been obtained, and if the war continues, it will no longer be able to obtain greater benefits, and it is undoubtedly the wisest choice for the Chilean government to choose to settle down.

If the war continues, I don't know if we can achieve greater benefits, but if it drags on until the end of the Russo-Prussian War, France and Austria will once again turn their attention to South America, and it will be difficult to eat the spoils of war in their stomachs.

Wessenberg replied: "I'm afraid it's going to be difficult. Militarily speaking, Peru and Bolivia still have the strength to fight.

Peru, in particular, has a much larger population than Chile, and the losses are still within the tolerance range, and there is still a chance to turn the tables if they continue to fight.

Politically, the situation is even more pronounced. Affected by the defeat on the front, Peru and Bolivia have changed their governments, and the atmosphere of civil war is strong, and they cannot afford to retreat.

Chile invited us to intervene mainly in order to use our power and that of Britain and France to force a compromise between the two governments. ”

"Maintaining world peace" is the banner + political program of the alliance of Britain, France and Austria, and since the slogan has been shouted, even if it is for the sake of face, the Vienna government cannot refuse the Chilean government's invitation to mediate.

Not only this invitation to "mediation", but any country in the world invites "mediation", and the three countries will send people to participate.

Britain, France, and Austria are so actively involved in international affairs, and naturally they will not be without purpose. What seems to be a simple international mediation is actually a division of regional interests.

As the three most powerful countries in the world today, as long as they participate, they can take more or less a share, and this is the essence of the era of imperialism.

"Let's go through the motions, we don't have much interest in South America, if Peru and Bolivia want to continue the war, let them continue.

As a responsible big country, we must fully respect the opinions of small countries and not blindly impose our will on them. ”

As he spoke, Franz waved his hand, as if he didn't care about it. However, the frown between his eyebrows still exposed his unwillingness.

At this time, there was no doubt that the British took the lion's share, Chile followed closely with meat, and France and Austria fought soy sauce and shared the soup.

Something like this has happened more than once or twice. If you suffer more often, you will always be dissatisfied.

In this era of the jungle, it is understandable to have as much strength as possible to get as much as possible, but the balance of strength between Britain, France and Austria is constantly changing, but the distribution of benefits has not changed with the change of strength.

The encouragement of Peru and Bolivia to continue the war was a counterattack by Franz. Since the British want to take the maximum benefit, then keep investing!

In case the Secret Wave Alliance is lucky and turns the tables on the battlefield, the situation will be very different. Although the odds are slim, Franz doesn't mind taking a gamble.

lost the bet, adding to the blockage of the British; If the bet is won, it can also shake the hegemony of the British in South America.

From Austria's point of view, no matter how you look at it, it is worth it.

As for Peru and Bolivia, the road is chosen by itself, and it will be completed with tears.

Not forcing them to cede land and pay reparations, ending this war, is in itself the greatest respect.

Austria is not a pure fool with empty words, and there is still assistance with weapons and ammunition. Although they all have to be paid, in times of war, being able to get loans, weapons and ammunition is in itself a kind of support.

Regardless of the cause of the "guano war", it doesn't matter who is familiar with it now.

For Peru and Bolivia, the enemy has already fought, and now the purpose of the war is no longer to fight for guano and saltpeter, but to defend the territory.

Since it is to protect the family and defend the country, it is natural to go on your own, and you can expect others to fail?

……